Along Came a Girl
by Assumably
Summary: Once upon a time, Kikyo was just a simple girl in a simple village learning the way of the world. So how did she become the Shikon no Miko and fall in love with a hanyo? Character study.
**Hey there.**

 **So, this is a small idea I was kicking around for a long time when I was thinking of how to best write Kikyo. I didn't want to think of her solely as who she became after her resurrection but instead, how did she grow to be the Shikon no Miko? A pure priestess who fell in love with a hanyo? A young women looked up to by her whole village when she was just a teenager?**

 **This is just a character study I did of that idea. I may or may not add more so this story will always be marked as complete even if another chapter eventually comes out.**

 **Thank you all for dropping by and giving it a read.**

 **P.S. I don't own any of this.**

* * *

Kikyo was a young girl much like the rest of the villagers. Her father was the town monk and much beloved. She would sit in his lap and observe the villagers reverence for him as they would pass by.

"Good day Hiroshi-sama."

"Thank the kamis for Hiroshi-sama."

"How prosperous that a monk would settle here."

"I prayed for your continued protection."

"We're so grateful for Hiroshi-sama."

Kikyo always knew her father was the most important man in the village and one day she was sure she would grow up to be just like him.

She remembers being four when a demon comes too close to the village. It has the head of a boar and yet stands on two hooves to tower over the men-folk. It's covered in red fur everywhere but it's forearms which turn into hands with one holding a club.

Tou-sama rushes through the retreating crowd towards the beast as Kikyo hides between two buildings. She watches as he pulls out his bow and fires a holy arrow. The monster loses the entire arm wielding the club and roars in agony.

She stares, eyes wide, as her father defeats the beast and with it's last breath before tou-sama shoots one last arrow into it's heart it says "You... murderer..." in it's growling, gutteral voice.

Tou-sama says nothing and releases the string.

The villagers who dared to watch come out from hiding and cheer for Hiroshi-sama who has saved them yet again. Sake is brought out that night and fires merrily lit.

Long after they think she is asleep Kikyo wonders. Her daddy is a hero. He saves them all from the monsters who try to destroy everything. But the monsters speak in the same way they do. And the monster called tou-sama a murderer. What's a murderer? Did tou-sama do something wrong? But he's a hero! Of course he's not wrong!

She hears hushed voices outside the door of their shack and closes her eyes tighter so they won't know she's awake.

"Hiroshi-sama, do you think there will be more?"

"No." her father answers and she tries to feel safe because tou-sama will stop all the monsters but, that was not her concern.

"But we missed one. What if there are others?" a different voice from the first one asks.

Missed one?

"No. I am sure. The den showed signs of only a few demons. The one that attacked today was already pushing the number the cave could hold. There will be no more."

Cave? Den? Did tou-sama attack their home? But no! Daddy was a good man. He's a protector, not a... a... Kikyo has no words but wonders if 'murderer' is the word that comes next.

"We see, Hiroshi-sama. Thank you for your guidance and protection." the second man speaks again with sounds of approval from the first.

Tou-sama comes in and pets her hair lovingly before laying out his own tatami and going to sleep. His gentle snores fill their home but Kikyo stays awake and wonders.

.

She is five the first time she meets a demon.

She's out with the town healer and the other girls as they learn what plants will heal you and what ones to cook with and what ones are poison. Kikyo learns quickly and goes to the border of the trees to get mushrooms when she notices a blue glow a few trees in. She glances around but everyone is busy picking their own herbs so she slips between the trees to find the light.

It's a small furry animal with long ears that stand up straight and fur patterned like fire. The glow comes from an orb on the top of it's bushy tail and Kikyo know this must be a demon. It looks up at her with wide, silver eyes and she stands frozen. Demons are dangerous. Demons want to kill people. Demons hate all humans.

Kikyo and the demon watch each other before the young girl takes a mushroom from her basket, kneels down, and holds her palm out to the demon.

The demon warily comes forward, carefully sniffing her hand before reaching a little forward and taking the mushroom from her palm quickly before darting into the woods.

Kikyo stares in amazement in the direction the demon took off before she hears her name being called by the healer. Glancing one more time to where the demon went, she carries her basket back into the clearing.

"Kikyo! You can't wander off like that!"

"I'm sorry. I found some mushrooms." she held up her basket to show the mushrooms she's collected and the healer heaves a sigh of something Kikyo would later recognize as exasperation.

"You have to be more careful. What if you ran into a demon?"

Kikyo says nothing.

She didn't think she'd mind running into a demon again.


End file.
